Clinell Universal Wipes are considered as 'alcohol free' - we feel it's important to explain why.
The product labelling has been updated to comply with both current and upcoming safety and regulatory requirements, and we now include a full list of ingredients within the formulation on the packaging. It is important to note that the formulation has not changed or been amended. Previously, only declarable ingredients had been shown, but with these changes, the packaging has been updated to include all of the formulation components.
The term 'alcohol' is given to organic compounds which have a hydroxyl (-OH) group, bound to a saturated carbon atom, found naturally and synthetically, and is based solely on the chemical structure. Not all alcohols are equal, however, as 'alcohol' is generally taken to be an umbrella term for a variety of different substances which share the same basic chemical structure.
When talking in terms of consumer products, the term alcohol is usually applied to low molecular weight alcohols such as isopropyl alcohol or ethanol, which are commonly seen in healthcare settings. Where a product does not contain these types of alcohols, it can generally be considered "alcohol free".
The ingredient Phenethyl Alcohol is a commonly occurring substance, found naturally in plant extracts, and is used as a preservative due to its antimicrobial properties. It is also used a fragrance due to its pleasant aroma. The use of the term "alcohol" in its name refers to it as having a hydroxyl (-OH) / carbon structure and is also known as 2-phenylethanol. Natural fruit juices can contain a certain % of 'alcohol' due to the presence of naturally occurring compounds which share a similar chemical structure.
Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA) is the most common alcohol used within disinfection and cleaning - due to its reactivity, it can be corrosive to some materials, and is not suitable for every application, although remains a highly efficacious substance for disinfection.
To further put this into context, both cholesterol (found in the body) and sucrose (a sugar) are classified as alcohols due their chemical structure.
As our products do not contain low molecular weight alcohols such as ethanol, isopropyl or methyl alcohol compounds, it can be considered as 'alcohol free' within this definition.